03/01/2014

Local government watchers in the Aberystwyth area are viewing with some trepidation an expected announcement in the next month of major changes to local government boundaries in Wales as a result of the review by the Welsh Government's Commission on Public Service Governance headed by Sir Paul Williams. A planned reduction in county councils from the current 22 to a drastically smaller number, leading to the loss of Ceredigion as an authority in the longer term, is widely expected.

The period between 1974 and 1996, when there were only eight county councils in Wales, and Ceredigion was a part of Dyfed, now seems to be viewed as a more efficient model by central government. However it should be remembered that during this period there was also a layer of 37 District Councils beneath the counties, ensuring a local feel to government.

That was prior to the creation of the National Assembly and no-one would want to go back to two layers of councils now. But, because we’ve been there in the past, there’s an assumption amongst many people that Dyfed is where we’re going to end up again.

Whilst the idea of re-creating the pre ’96 county with its HQ in Carmarthen probably wouldn’t bother the people of, say, Cardigan in South Ceredigion too much, the idea appals people in Aberystwyth who would be relegated once again to the outer northern periphery of the new county and would have to travel 50 miles to the county’s capital.

Resources of any government structure inevitably shift towards the centre and, in a Dyfed scenario, it would seem unavoidable that Aberystwyth would diminish in importance both culturally and economically.

The difference between then and now is that Aberystwyth, and transport links to it, has developed considerably in the past twenty years, partly with the assistance of Welsh Government money, and it is now without question the most vibrant and economically healthy town in Mid Wales.

Going back to the old Dyfed isn’t the only idea that’s been mentioned during the course of the review. I’ve no idea how seriously the others are taken - some of them have probably been laughed at - but these are a few ideas I’ve seen or heard being promoted involving Ceredigion and at least they get us thinking outside the Dyfed box:

A huge Dyfed-Powys authority - this would leave Aberystwyth still reasonably central.

Splitting Powys and Gwynedd up to create a new Ceredigion/Montgomeryshire/Meirionydd authority.

Ceredigion to merge with Powys to form a central Wales authority - this would fit in with various collaborations Ceredigion Council have already developed with Powys in response to urgings from the Welsh Government for local authorities to make savings through co-operation.

Ceredigion to merge with Pembrokeshire to create a South-west coastal authority

A huge West Wales coastal authority covering everything from Ynys Mon down to Pembroke.

Whatever emerges from the Review, the point is that what happens to Aberystwyth is not just a concern for Aberystwyth – the prospect should be a concern for everyone in Wales. Mid Wales – I’m going to call it Central Wales from now on – is not just the green desert between the populous belts of north and south Wales. Nations need a middle. If we have a governmental structure that essentially pulls everything south of the Dyfi to Carmarthen and everything north of the Dyfi to Caernarfon/Bangor, that effectively drags the nation apart and concentrates power and resources at each end, leaving the geographic centre - which is crucial to any nation’s cohesion - ignored. You don’t have to be a Welsh nationalist to see this as a problem. Anyone who supports a Wales level of government should be able to see that we need a strong middle that can pull the whole thing together.

At the demonstration in 2012 outside the National Assembly in support of Aberystwyth’s Bronglais Hospital, the most powerful image (above) was on a banner showing a map of major hospitals in Wales, with Bronglais being the only one between Carmarthen and Bangor. It brought home the geographic importance of the place. The last thing Wales needs is to diminish Aberystwyth.

It was therefore very encouraging to see the recent report from a Welsh Government Task & Finish group into the future of the Welsh language which has recommended the setting up of ‘city regions’ based around Aberystwyth, Bangor and Carmarthen.

If Wales is to develop in a balanced way into the future we need to be thinking outside of the old traditional boundaries, useful though they may have been once. Although the Task & Finish group may not have had overall national cohesion in mind, not for the first time it could be that the needs of the Welsh language are pointing us towards the most progressive future for everyone in Wales.

5 comments:

Present company accepted of course, I am attracted, but unconvinced, by the the argument that the better quality local politicians and exec level officers without vested interests and with a balanced performance system goal-ed to provide to the whole region however it was drawn should be more significant than the shape of the region.

Hywel Dda Health Board is evidence that an organization with a wide geographic responsibility run by muppets will have a tendency over time to starve the parts it finds inconvenient to service and screw the consequences for those who dare to live in the periphery. The BT SuperFast roll out is an other example, not helped by Ceredigion officers responsible having a long term episode of Stockholm syndrome and no elected members understanding enough of the context to hold BT or the council staff to account.

This sort of debate played out well on WalesHome[R.I.P] (a few trolls accepted), but I am unsure of its underlying influence.

I am firmly of the view that we do need to return to a two tier system, but with the directly elected regional tier (and I'd combine Dyfed and Powys) would take over running the police, fire, health service and social services - in addition to education and transport, leaving the lower tier authorities to run other local government functions. Thus democratising a range of nominated bodies and retaining local control over very local services.

Why can't Government find a system that works and stick to it bar boundary alterations to take account of demographic changes? Every re-organisation costs money and takes time to bed in.In my opinion, we have too many layers of government:-EU - MEPsWestminster - MPsWAG - AMsCounty Council - CouncillorsTown or Community Councils

That's not including the Health Boards, Police Commissioners and all the other NGOs.

If the number of County Councils are reduced, should we give back more power to Community Councils?

The Williams Review suggests merging Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire [ with the possible inclusion of Carmarthenshire ].

Pembrokeshire is run by Independant Plus with all 9 members of the Cabinet and 32 of the 59 Council members. Plaid are very much in the minority with 7 members. The proposed merger would make a big difference to the political landscape if voting goes pro-rata with the current system.

It is a great idea to split up Gwynedd and Powys. Wales does need a middle as you suggest, and a Ceredigion/Montgomeryshire/Meirionydd authority with Aberystwtyh and its hospital as the principle town, makes the most sense. I believe the remainder of Powys should then form a Brecknockshire/Radnorshire/Monmouthshire authority with Abergavenny and its hospital as the principle town. Powys is artificial and historically Brecnockshire/Brychieniog and was never part of the kingdom of Powys. Further to this the upper Swansea Valley from Ystradgynlais to Glyntawe should be split from Brecknockshire and put into a Swansea/Neath Port Talbot/Ystradgynlais/Llanelli city region.